Garmin GNC 250XL

On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 15:29:28 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

You are not about to ditch your AvMap?

Ditch the Avmap? Heck, no!

The panel mount Garmin's display and functionality is so vastly inferior to
the AvMap, that I would certainly look at *it* as the back-up unit -- not
the other way around.

However, I've got an old Narco 120 Com that works fine but is getting pretty
"long-in-the-tooth". I've also got an old Narco DME that works perfectly,
but is utterly useless to me.

I'd like to yank both those units, save about ten pounds, sell them on Ebay,
and replace them with a new Garmin GPS/Com combo. I think that would be a
great upgrade -- but I'd like to hear from folks who have one before making
the leap!

Jay, as a reference -

I very much enjoy having DME in the plane in addition to my yoke-mount
Garmin 295. It is helpful for identifying intersections during IFR
enroute, and is a nice to have (if not a requirement) for many
approaches.

What am I getting at? Even though an IFR GPS can substitute for DME,
I am not sure that I would remove the DME, and I certainly would keep
it if I installed a panel-mount VFR GPS.

-Nathan

Nathan Young wrote:
: Jay, as a reference -

: I very much enjoy having DME in the plane in addition to my yoke-mount
: Garmin 295. It is helpful for identifying intersections during IFR
: enroute, and is a nice to have (if not a requirement) for many
: approaches.

Seconded. I like having my DME, my IFR GPS, and my 295. The DME is very
easy to interpret (OK, I'm 12.6 from PVD, so I'm well clear of their 'C').
The 'B' airspace around me is derived off the BOS vortac, so it's helpful
there as well. I usually use the IFR GPS for point-to-point navigation while
keeping the DME tuned to navaids off to the side such as the BOS vortac I
mentioned, helps to stay out of their airspace.
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

: I very much enjoy having DME in the plane in addition to my yoke-mount
: Garmin 295. It is helpful for identifying intersections during IFR
: enroute, and is a nice to have (if not a requirement) for many
: approaches.

Seconded. I like having my DME, my IFR GPS, and my 295. The DME is very
easy to interpret (OK, I'm 12.6 from PVD, so I'm well clear of their 'C').
The 'B' airspace around me is derived off the BOS vortac, so it's helpful
there as well. I usually use the IFR GPS for point-to-point navigation
while
keeping the DME tuned to navaids off to the side such as the BOS vortac I
mentioned, helps to stay out of their airspace.

I know we all have our preferences, but DME seems to me to have been made
completely outmoded by the advent of moving map GPS.

My AvMap graphically depicts Class B airspace in a way that is so easily
understood, it would be virtually impossible to "bust" it without realizing
what you were doing. The DME would only confirm -- in a far less useful
format -- what the GPS is already telling me.

That, and the fact that I have no intention of getting my IFR ticket in the
near future, makes my Narco DME little more useful than a door stop in
Atlas. I *do* turn it on once in a while, just to see if it still powers
up -- but that's about it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

That, and the fact that I have no intention of getting my IFR ticket in the
near future,

WHY?
Do you have VFR weather in your neck of the woods most of the time?
I just find it easier to file IFR, If it gets real bumpy I can always ask for
higher or lower and if denied cancel IFR.
Most of my flights are in VFR conditions, but I never know what the weather is
like at my destination. Of course I always call FS
but things can change in a hurry'
Hank

In article ,
(Hankal) writes:

That, and the fact that I have no intention of getting my IFR ticket in the
near future,

WHY?
Do you have VFR weather in your neck of the woods most of the time?
I just find it easier to file IFR, If it gets real bumpy I can always ask for
higher or lower and if denied cancel IFR.
Most of my flights are in VFR conditions, but I never know what the weather
is
like at my destination. Of course I always call FS
but things can change in a hurry'

After getting my IFR ticket I now don't fly in weather that I am legal to fly
in, rather than flying in marginal weather where I am not allowed. I probably
do 4 to 6 real approaches per year. But climbing thru a layer to fly smoothly
on top, or not worrying about "Is there a cloud deck at my destination?" sure
made it worthwhile.
Chuck

Hankal wrote:
That, and the fact that I have no intention of getting my IFR ticket in the
near future,
WHY?
Do you have VFR weather in your neck of the woods most of the time?
I just find it easier to file IFR, If it gets real bumpy I can always ask for
higher or lower and if denied cancel IFR.

I don't blame Jay, at all. After I got my IFR ticket, I practiced fairly
regularly, but that eventually got old. I equipped my plane with pretty
reasonable IFR radios... a GX-60 IFR GPS, Stormscope, KNS-80 and autopilot
coupled to the GPS. In addition I always have my handheld GPS.
Eventually, I came to the realization that, if you're not practicing
pretty frequently, you're unneccesarily risking the lives of your wife and
kids (or in my case, my wife and dog). Every second your in IMC, you're
using your brain and skill to NOT kill your loved ones. I couldn't see
myself doing that unless I kept myself really, really sharp. I like
looking out the window too much to dilligently practice that often. I
think that a lot of instrument rated private pilots SHOULD come to the
same conclusion. Having said that, getting the rating was an excellent
learning experience, and I'm glad I did it. I just don't take advantage
of it, anymore.

--- Jay



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

Having said that, getting the rating was an excellent
learning experience, and I'm glad I did it. I just don't take advantage
of it, anymore.

I agree. I file IFR in VFR conditions, just easier.
I do stay current, because at my age it does not take very long to get rusty.
Hank

"Hankal" wrote in message
...
That, and the fact that I have no intention of getting my IFR ticket in
the
near future,

WHY?

Jay's hardheaded, even though he flies a gajillion hours a year and has a
willing safety pilot whenever necessary to maintain proficiency. This topic
has been covered in the past, so don't bother, Jay won't budge.

Jay, I would suggest that you not remove avionics that would make the
airplane less worthy IFR. Godforbid you decide to move up to a Cherokee 6
and decide to sell the pathfinder, your future buyer may balk at an airplane
with only a single nav radio and a VFR GPS. Spend the extra bucks for the
IFR certified version.

Brad Z

Jay, I would suggest that you not remove avionics that would make the
airplane less worthy IFR. Godforbid you decide to move up to a Cherokee 6
and decide to sell the pathfinder, your future buyer may balk at an
airplane
with only a single nav radio and a VFR GPS. Spend the extra bucks for the
IFR certified version.

It would not have a single NAV radio, as my primary radio is a digital Narco
810+R.

Our plane also has dual VOR's, both with glideslope, and a backup vacuum
system. By adding the GNC 250XL I would be gaining a panel mount GPS and
digital Com, while losing an antiquated DME and analog Com radio.

I don't know too many people who would say that such a change would diminish
Atlas' value.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:PZRkd.396842$D%.310673@attbi_s51...
Jay, I would suggest that you not remove avionics that would make the
airplane less worthy IFR. Godforbid you decide to move up to a Cherokee
6
and decide to sell the pathfinder, your future buyer may balk at an
airplane
with only a single nav radio and a VFR GPS. Spend the extra bucks for
the
IFR certified version.

It would not have a single NAV radio, as my primary radio is a digital
Narco
810+R.

Our plane also has dual VOR's, both with glideslope, and a backup vacuum
system. By adding the GNC 250XL I would be gaining a panel mount GPS and
digital Com, while losing an antiquated DME and analog Com radio.

I don't know too many people who would say that such a change would
diminish
Atlas' value.

Sorry, its been a while since I read the original post. I was thinking you
had only two nav/coms, and were getting rid of one of them in favor of a VFR
GPS. DME doesn't add a tremendous value to the airplane, except maybe to
the IFR pilot who flies to airports that have DME required approaches.
They're out there. That's why an IFR gps would be preferable.